Billings Business March 2017

5 MINUTES WITH

ERIN DEAR

OFF LEASH K9 TRAINING

SPECIAL REPORT

MONTANA ENERGY REVIEW

MARCH 2017

BEYOND PRETTY PICTURES

Arts community gives a boost to the economy March 2017

1

Billings Business 401 N. Broadway Billings, MT 59101-1242

CONTENTS March 2017

An indispensable business resource

FEATURES

More than Pretty Pictures....................................................................... 6 Arts community provides a boost to the economy

Pay it forward......................................................................................... 15 Online game pays off Billings woman’s student loans

SPECIAL REPORT................................................................................... 17 Mothballed pipe may yet be used for Keystone XL Pipeline

On the Cover

Commercial & Residential

Pedestrians hit the streets visiting galleries for Billings ArtWalk

Photo by HANNAH POTES/Gazette Staff

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COLUMNS

Economic Development......................................................................... 10 Chamber News....................................................................................... 11 Alex Tyson: Billings is ready for Basketball

Strategies for Success......................................................................... 20 Joe Michels: Make sure your advertising connects with your customers

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From the Editor........................................................................................ 4 By the numbers........................................................................................ 5 The local economy at a glance

Chamber News....................................................................................... 11 Five Minutes with Erin Dear.................................................................. 12 Business Briefs...................................................................................... 18 Success Stories..................................................................................... 19 The Listings… ...................................................................................... 21

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March 2017

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the editor

S HARK TANK IS CIRCLING , BUT THIS

ENTREPRENEUR MAY NOT BE READY TO BITE

By TOM HOWARD

R

epresentatives of Shark Tank, the venture capital-oriented TV show, have called. But Lizbeth Pratt isn’t quite sure if she’s ready to go on national television to be grilled by a panel of millionaires and billionaires.

Pratt, formerly of Billings, is the founder of Givling, an online game with a different twist. Players pay to participate in a trivia game, and those who answer the most questions correctly can win money.

But here’s how the game is different than most online games.

Givling sets aside a portion of its proceeds to pay off student loans for former students who have registered on the website.

Pratt was in Billings in early February to surprise Alyssa Foster and inform her that Givling will pay off her $17,500 student loan. Foster, who works as a certified public accountant, was overwhelmed and overjoyed to be out from under the yoke of student debt. (See the story on Page 15) Pratt relished being the designated check presenter, a role made famous decades ago by the late Ed McMahon.

She said the game is starting to hit critical mass, meaning that enough gamers have been playing so that Givling can generate sufficient money to both reward the winners and pay off student loans.

The U.S. Department of Education estimates that Americans are burdened under the weight of $1.3 trillion in student debt, and millions have fallen behind or defaulted on their loans.

Here’s one measure of how pervasive the stu-

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March 2017

dent debt crisis has become: More than 100,000 people have signed up to have their loans paid off by Givling. But making a significant dent in that lineup could take many years, even if the game’s popularity grows. Incidentally, you don’t have to play the game in order to sign up for loan repayment.

Pratt has pursued a variety of ways to raise additional money. Initially her business model didn’t include advertising, but she has started to pursue that strategy. She’s also interested in talking to investors In case you haven’t heard about it, Shark Tank is the popular TV program in which Mark Cuban, Daymond John, Lori Greiner and other successful business owners listen to pitches from up-andcoming entrepreneurs who are seeking investment capital to take the next step.

One of the biggest struggles that Shark Tank participants must wrestle with is whether they’re willing to give up a chunk of their business, and possibly lose control, in return for an equity investment. Kevin O’Leary, the Shark Tank panelists who’s fondly known as “Mr. Wonderful,” is famous for pitching debt financing, with terms that are frequently too steep for the contestants.

Pratt said she plans to stay in contact with Shark Tank’s representatives, but she’s not ready to bite.

Post Script: Here’s wishing good luck to Lisa Harmon, the tireless executive director of the Downtown Billings Alliance, who plans to step down by the end of June. She has been involve in many improvements to downtown, even though progress sometimes happens in baby steps instead of leaps and bounds. She leaves big shoes to fi ll.

MARCH 2017 • VOLUME 23 • NUMBER 5

mike gulledge tom howard COPY EDITOR chris jorgensen GENERAL MANAGER dave worstell PUBLISHER

EDITOR

SALES

ryan brosseau shelli scott ADVERTISING COORDINATOR spencyr knatterud ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER

SUBSCRIPTIONS Billings Business is mailed each month to area business owners, managers and decision makers.

To subscribe for $19.95 per year, please send payment, name, business name, mailing address and phone number to: Billings Business 401 N. Broadway Billings, MT 59101 ADVERTISING For retail advertising call Dianna Russiff, 657-1495; Milt Lang, 657-1257; Joe McGinnis 657-1599. Advertising deadline for the April 2017 issue is 5 p.m. Thursday, March 9, 2017.

NEWS If you would like to submit a news tip, story idea, announcement about your business or press release, please email it to: editor@billingsbusiness.com website: www.billingsbusiness.com Information published herein does not reflect the opinion of Billings Business. Contents are the property of Billings Business.

By the numbers

• Personal • Business • Real Estate • Agriculture

Local and regional economic trends Shiloh & Grand 655-3900

Downtown 655-2400

14th & Grand 371-8100

DEBT-FILLED RETIREMENT? The number of Americans 60 and older who carry student debt has quadrupled from 700,000 to 2.8 million in the past decade. Of the $66.7 billion owed, three-fourths was used to pay for child or grandchild’s education.

Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

stockmanbank.com

Worden 967-3612

National park visitors

Airport boardings

1M

7

6 8

In ten thousands

Hilltop & Main 896-4800

In hundred thousands

King Avenue 655-2700

6

5

4

3

2

4

1

Billings housing starts

2

0

New single-family home building permits 60

25

50 40

0

20 10

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Sept. 2016 to Jan. 2017

Dec.

0

Jan.

Sept. 2015 to Jan. 2016

July 2016 to Dec. 2016 July 2015 to Dec. 2015

2017

July 2015 to Dec. 2015

Ag prices Montana Beef Cattle

6

200

(per bushel)

3

100

2

50

1

Aug.

Sept

Oct.

Nov.

July 2016- Dec. 2016 Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Dec.

0

July 2016- Dec. 2016 July 2015- Dec. 2015

4

4

1

July 2016- Dec. 2016 July 2015- Dec. 2015

5%

150

2

Dec.

Unemployment

(per cwt.)

5

Nov.

Source: Montana Department of Transportation

Source: National Park Service

Montana winter wheat

Oct.

July 2016- Dec. 2016 July 2015- Dec. 2015

July 2016 to Dec. 2016

2016

Sept.

Missoula

Glacier National Park

YTD Through Jan. 31

Source: City of Billings

July

Bozeman

Yellowstone National Park

7

5

0

0

July

15

30 10

Aug.

Billings

21

20

July

3

July

Aug.

Sept.

July 2015- Dec. 2015

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

0

July

Aug

Montana

Sept.

Oct.

Yellowstone County

Nov.

Dec.

U.S.

Source: Montana Department of Labor and Industry

March 2017

5

More than just pretty pictures The arts boost local economy, too

T

A visitor walks past “Bearooth Portal” by Ensamble Studio at Tippet Rise near Fishtail in June.

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March 2017

CASEY PAGE/Gazette Staff

By TOM HOWARD

housands of people flocked to the Tippet Rise Art Center’s inaugural season that featured performances by world-class musicians and an assortment of monumental sculptures that complement Montana’s vast open spaces.

Montana has never seen an arts establishment quite like Tippet Rise, described as “a way to “make art happen in beautiful places.”

Tippet Rise is located on a 11,500-acre historic ranch near the town of Fishtail in Stillwater County. International media attention greeted the center’s debut with favorable reviews from “Architectural Digest,” “Smithsonian,” “Slate” and other publications.

The center’s supporters predicted that Tippet Rise would draw visitors from far and wide, and statistics from the first year of operation bear that out. About three-quarters of the 4,567 people who toured Tippet Rise and its sculptures were from Montana. The rest were from out of state and overseas. A little more than half of the 2,374 people who attended the center’s classical music concerts and films were from Montana.

“Billings, Absarokee, Red Lodge and probably the entire town of Fishtail were well represented, but people came from the western and eastern edges of the state as well,” said Alexis Adams, publications administrator at Tippet Rise.

HANNAH POTES, Gazette Staff

People enjoy art and community during Art Walk downtown, Dec. 2, 2016.

“We really wanted people of Montana to embrace Tippet Rise,” and so far that seems to be the case, she said. “The local restaurants see a big turnout from Tippet Rise, and a lot of out-of-town visitors end up staying in Red Lodge or Absarokee, so you can see the impact.”

Since 1900, the Fishtail General Store has been selling “a little bit of everything,” including snacks, groceries and even fishing bait. Store sales are known to take a jump whenever a performance or event takes place at Tippet Rise.

“People buy a little bit of everything, from food to souvenirs, everything to their hearts’ content,” said Melissa Husted, the store’s general manager. “Oh, yes,” she said. “We’re glad they’re here.”

Tippet Rise employs 34 full-time and part-time employees, including several independent contracts such as a sound engineer and a filmmaker, and that doesn’t include volunteers and six contractors.

Tippet Rise serves as an example of how an arts organization can shower economic benefits on the community in which it is

located. Increased visitor spending, a boost in employment and the investment made

by Tippet Rise’s owners all have contributed to the economy of Stillwater County, which is home to about 9,100 people.

Arts supporters insist that the arts are about more than looking at pretty pictures.

Arts organizations and artists provide a sizable economic boost to their communities in addition to their other contributions to society. As arts patron, journalist and author Maria Shriver once said: “Art is fundamental, unique to each of

us. Even in difficult economic times — especially in difficult economic times — the arts are essential.”

In Montana, any discussion of the arts community’s economic clout is often heavy on anectdotal information. However, some studies have attempted to quantify the effect.

“The reality is that the art sector of the Montana economy may be a for more powerful economic engine than realized,” says a Please see Arts, Page 8

March 2017

7

HANNAH POTES PHOTOS, Gazette Staff

People enjoy art and community during Art Walk downtown on Friday December 2, 2016.

Arts

The study estimated that Montana artists generated From 7 $233 million in economic activity, with 77 percent of 2005 study by the Center for the money spent on goods Applied Economic Research and services coming from at Montana State University out-of-state buyers.

Billings.

“This sales level would

be responsible for providing more than 4,200 fulltime jobs throughout the state. Artists clearly have a significant impact on the state’s economy and should be viewed as an economic development engine similar

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to construction or mining,” says the study, authored by Ann Adair, formerly of MSU Billings.

In Billings, arts supporters point to a variety of measures to illustrate the arts community’s economic contributions.

The Yellowstone Art Museum’s annual art auction, its biggest fundraiser, typically raises around $200,000.

Whether the temperature has soared into triple digits or tumbled below zero, Billings ArtWalk never fails to draw arts supporters like moths to a flame.

The five-times-per-year gathering of artists and art lovers recently completed its 22nd season. Some of ArtWalk’s 29 members are stand-alone art galleries.

Others are businesses or non-profits whose proprietors have demonstrated an appreciation for art. At the most recent ArtWalk on Feb. 3, CTA Architects, 13 N. 23rd St., featured art by surrealist painter Emily Davidson. Terakedis Fine Art, a gallery at 112 N. Broadway, featured works

by Mark McKenna.

It’s not a stretch to think that cultural events like ArtWalk provide an eco-

nomic boost to the community. Restaurants and establishments drinking usually plan for largerthan-average crowds on nights that ArtWalk takes place, and galleries plan on doing a brisk business, said Virginia Bryan, president of ArtWalk.

Billings ArtWalk joined the Downtown Billings Alliance last year, and has benefited from a permanent downtown presence. The DBA office is now a regular stop whenever people take to the streets for ArtWalk.

Bryan says ArtWalk’s growing popularity is a product of a robust arts community.

“I’m amazed at the quality of the art that gets created in this community,” she said.

Allison O’Donnell, owner of Toucan Gallery on Montana Avenue, estimates that somewhere between 400 and 800 people troop through the gallery on Montana Avenue during ArtWalk to see works produced by around 40 artists, including potters and jewelry makers.

ArtWalk often represents a big night for sales.

O’Donnell makes sure that the product selection in-

cludes plenty of affordable merchandise such as cards and jewelry.

“This Christmas was our best for ArtWalk sales, but sometimes February can be good too. People are ready to be out.”

Alex Tyson, executive director of Visit Billings, the organization that markets the Billings area, said the arts — whether travelers are visiting a gallery or attending the Billings Symphony or a concert at MetraPark — continue a big draw for visitors coming to Billings.

“When we are doing meeting and convention recruiting, the planners are always asking for a list of cultural activities that are happening in Billings,” Tyson said. visitors Out-of-town who are planning an excursion to the Alberta Bair Theater typically spread their money around town, by having a restaurant meal and staying in a motel, Tyson said.

The Tourism Business Improvement District markets Billings by levying a surcharge on hotel and motel rooms. As part of the program, the TBID helps market the Billings Symphony and other events.

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B E SURE TO PROTECT YOUR

BUSINESS FROM CYBER ATTACK

MELANE SCHWARZ is director of marketing and member investors at Big Sky Economic Development. Contact her at 406-869-8419 or at melanie@ bigskyeda.org

10

March 2017

identifiable information and other sensitive data. Clearly outline the consequences of violating your business’s cybersecurity policies.

4. Educate employees about cyberthreats and hold them accountable Educate your employees about online threats and how to protect your business’s data, including safe use of social networking sites. Employees should be informed about how to post online in a way that does not reveal any trade secrets to the public or competing businesses.

5. Require employees to use strong passwords and to change them often Consider implementing multifactor authentication that requires additional information beyond a password to gain entry.

6. Employ best practices on payment cards Work with your banks or card processors to ensure the most trusted and validated tools and anti-fraud services are being used. Do not use the same computer to process payments and surf the Internet.

7. Make backup copies of important business data and information Regularly backup the data on all computers.

Critical data includes word processing documents, electronic spreadsheets, databases, financial files, human resources files, and accounts receivable/payable files. Backup data automatically if possible, or at least weekly, and store the

copies either offsite or on the cloud.

8. Control physical access to computers and network components Prevent access or use of business computers by unauthorized individuals.

Laptops can be particularly easy targets for theft or can be lost, so lock them up when unattended. Make sure a separate user account is created for each employee and require strong passwords.

CYBER • PHYSICAL • INFRASTRUCTURE

Make sure each of your business’s computers is equipped with antivirus software and antispyware and update regularly.

Is Your Business at Risk for a Cyber Attack?

YES! A Report from Small Biz Trends reported that 43 percent of cyber attacks target small business.

What should you know about protecting your business from a cyber attack?

The SBA, a federal resource for business owners, recently published online their Top Ten Cyber Security Tips as well as other valuable cybersecurity information. (www.sba.gov/ managing-business/cybersecurity) Here are the Ten Tips: 1. Protect against viruses, spyware, and other malicious code Make sure each of your business’s computers is equipped with antivirus software and antispyware and update regularly. Such software is readily available online from a variety of vendors. Configure all software to install updates automatically.

2. Secure your networks Safeguard your Internet connection by using a firewall and encrypting information. If you have a Wi-Fi network, make sure it is secure and hidden. To hide your Wi-Fi network, set up your wireless access point or router so it does not broadcast the network name.

3. Establish security practices and policies to protect sensitive information Establish policies on how employees should handle and protect personally

9. Create a mobile device action plan Mobile devices can create significant security and management challenges, especially if they hold confidential information or can access the corporate network. Require users to password protect their devices, encrypt their data, and install security apps to prevent criminals from stealing information while the phone is on public networks.

10. Protect all pages on your public-facing websites, not just the checkout and sign-up pages To learn more about protecting your business from all sides, not just cyber, please plan to attend Big Sky Economic Development’s Security Forum on March 22, 2017. For more information and to register for this free, educational forum visit www.bigskyeconomicdevelopment.org/security

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Upcoming Chamber/ CVB Functions More details and RSVP: www. billingschamber.com or call 245-4111

March Business After Hours

Wednesday, March 8, Beartooth Bank, 4130 King Ave. 5-7 p.m. Cost is $8.

B ILLINGS ROLLING OUT THE RED CARPET FOR HOOPS TOURNAMENTS

They chose us because they know what kind of people make up our community

ALEX TYSON Alex Tyson is executive director of Visit Billings.

Contact her at (406) 869 -3726, or at Alex@visitbillings.com

Billings takes on the role of Montana’s Trailhead to the best high school and collegiate basketball events in the region this winter.

How is this for #RoadtoBillings?  Super A Divisional Basketball Tournament  Southern B Divisional Basketball Tournament  Class B Combined State Basketball Tournament  Wells Fargo NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship Typically, we take the opportunity here to talk about the importance of these tournaments to the Billings economy during sluggish winter months by way of growing sports tourism with full hotels, restaurants, shops and museums, and that is important.

However, today, we’re inviting you to join us. We invite you to get excited with us! Let the madness begin…

March 15-21: 32 teams and 31 games.

Billings will host 32 teams for the Wells Fargo NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship tournament at Rimrock Auto Arena. 32 teams including the Rocky Mountain College Lady Bears, will vie for the championship title which will be decided on Tuesday night, March 21st.

But in the 30 games ahead of the showdown, we have the opportunity to play a role in the shining moments of these amaz-

ing athletes. Strangers, you say? Aren’t many teams from the southern United States, you ask? Yes and yes.

While we will more than likely be able to cheer on the Northern Skylights of MSU Northern from Havre, the Lewis and Clark Warriors of Lewiston, Idaho and the Lady Bulldogs of U of M Western in Dillon, we will also be able cheer on teams we don’t know and athletes who have never been to Billings. What’s the fun? Making a difference in the highlights of their college sports careers and making them feel welcomed in our great city, all while watching some incredible basketball here at home at MetraPark.

Businesses, organizations and individuals have had the chance to adopt teams as part of the Honorary Coaching Program.

This program is meant to ensure teams have a host while inviting locals to sit on the bench with them.

One of the sponsors, Scott Godfrey at Western Security Bank, said it well: “Alex, we want to have a team that is so far away from Montana and one full of players who have never been to Montana, just so we can show them exactly how we welcome people to our great city.” I couldn’t have said it better myself.

They chose us, Billings.

They chose us because they know what kind of people make up our community.

Excited, supportive, sports-

loving, gracious, eager-towelcome people. You and me.

Have your heard of the U.S. Travel Association’s campaign PROJECT: TIME OFF? It’s an initiative to prove to employers and Americans in general the value of time off for personal well-being, business performance and economic expansion. I think a day off or early office closure during the tournament to relax

2017 Chamber Breakfast Featuring Emmitt Smith, Presented by KULR8 Thursday, March 30, Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark.

Doors open at 6 a.m., event from 7 – 9 a.m.

April Business After Hours

Wednesday, April 12, Big Sky Pet Resort, 2922 Millennium Circle 5-7 p.m. Cost is $8.

and cheer on some incredible athletes is a great idea.

We are building a brand in Billings. These ladies will talk about their tournament in our city for decades to come. We have the choice to influence that story. We hope you’ll join us in the stands during this tournament. Many thanks to everyone who has helped prepare us for this tournament to date.

Watch for a special sec-

tion on the tournament in the Billings Gazette on Sunday, March 12. The section will offer insight on who is who and the crazy 31-game bracket. With five games in six days, this is a tough tournament to win.

We hope you’ll join us so the #RoadtoBillings is paved with excited, loud fans who show our competitive cities just how it is done.

Learn more at VisitBillings.com/NAIA

Details at www.BillingsChamber.com

March 30th MetraPark, Rimrock Auto Arena

7 - 9 a.m.

Doors Open 6:00 a.m.

Visit BillingsChamber.com for details

March 2017

11

Erin Dear

Making good dogs even better

By TOM HOWARD In addition to being a good companion, Erin Dear’s pit bull lab mix, Sailor, has been known to lend a hand when Dear is training other dogs.

While teaching a German shepherd to heel, Dear had Sailor at her side, opposite the other dog. After taking cues from Sailor, the shepherd obeyed Dear’s commands precisely.

“Sailor is my sidekick,” said Dear, a trainer for a new-to-Billings business, Off Leash K9 Training. “She’s helpful because she knows what to do. If there are dogs that are having aggression problems or are just skittish, she helps out.”

The business, billingsdogtrainining.com, provides a variety of dog training options, including basic puppy training, basic obedience and even a program aimed at training therapy dogs. Many of the programs utilize an electronic collar, controlled by a hand-held remote, that the trainer uses to modify a dog’s behavior.

The stimulus provided by the collar is not an electric shock, Dear said. It’s a sensation that’s similar to what one feels using an electronic TENS pulse massager, she said.

Here’s what Dear had to say about a business that focuses on man’s best friend.

Q: What kind of orientation was provided by the franchisor?

A: There are two weeks of training and it’s working with dogs all day long. They train you for that process, and then you can start your own franchise.

How has the business been going?

Most of our beginning clients came from the Home Improvement Show where we were in September. I brought Sailor with me and we showed people everything that we can do.

Do you have any success stories that you’d like to discuss?

A German shepherd (named Nia) was six months old and the owner came to me and said she thought her dog was aggressive. It would pull her down the street and would always bark.

When they came over, the dog ran up to me and barked a lot, but then it started sniffing and licking me. But it wasn’t aggression, it was fear.

We put her in our two-week board and train program where the trainer stays with the dog around the clock. They learn about the collar, learn all of the commands. Then we take them out in public, to stores that allow dogs in order to get them socialized.

After that, the owner said she’s completely different. In the house she used to be just crazy.

But now she’s really relaxed.

We also had a hairless terrier, Velvet. At the first lesson she was so stubborn. We started out and she didn’t want to do anything. She was always jumping and biting. But by the end, she started listening to the commands. By the end she was a completely different because she was listening. It’s important to have the owners follow up with the dog.

Does the collar cause and discomfort for the dog?

We always let the owner try out the collar on their hand. When you turn it up, it feels more like a tap, so it gets their attention, not a shock.

CASEY PAGE, Gazette Staff

12

March 2017

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“Oh my goodness. I can’t believe this is happening.

I’m just blown away.”

— Alyssa Foster

Thanks to online game, Billings woman’s student debt is paid off

an indispensable business resource

LARRY MAYER Gazette Staff

Givling, Inc. owner Lizbeth Pratt, right, surprises Alyssa Foster with a check to pay off her student loans at Ortt & Company.

in the game has been growing. As of last December, an average of 9,100 people have played the game each day.

In addition to the three loans that have been paid off completely, Givling has been making loan payments for another nine student loans.

A total of 108,000 people have joined the Givling queue, Pratt said.

With that many people in line, it could take decades to reach the top of the queue. But Pratt said Givling recently hit the stage of “critical mass,” where fees generated by gaming generate enough money to move people up the queue as loans are repaid.

You don’t have to play the game in order to join Givling’s loan payback queue.

But you do have to document that you have outstanding student loans, Pratt said.

As more people play the game, more money is generated. Pratt is also working to boost revenues by selling more advertising.

Foster said she registered with Givling and began playing after learning about the game from a friend who used to work for the company.

Foster grew up in Helena, graduated from Simpson University and later received her CPA certification. She moved back to Montana in 2015.

Friday’s check presentation shows that the concept behind Givling works, Pratt said. But more players are needed.

Billings Business 401 North Broadway Billings, MT 59101

RANDY VOGELE VP, Ag/Commercial Loan Officer

By TOM HOWARD Alyssa Foster was putting in a typical day at work on a recent Friday morning when she was summoned to the reception area at Ortt & Co., a Billings accounting firm.

As cameras rolled and a giant check changed hands, Foster’s $17,500 student loan was symbolically paid off.

“Oh my goodness,” Foster said, as she was greeted by a contingent that included her parents and sister. “I can’t believe this is happening. I’m just blown away.”

Here’s how the big payoff happened: Foster is registered with Givling, a business that combines crowdfunding and online gaming.

Participants pay to play an online trivia game, and winners receive cash prizes.

A portion of the money that Givling accumulates from gaming fees and advertising is then awarded to people who have student loan debt.

Foster is the third former student whose debt has been completely retired by Givling. The game launched in the spring of 2015. Initially Givling was available only for personal computers. But a version for smartphones has been released since then.

“This is a group effort,” said Lizbeth Pratt, founder and chief executive officer of Givling. Pratt said interest

CalL 406-657-1298 to subScribE

Welcome

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©2017 Stockman Bank | Member FDIC

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Mothballed pipe may yet be used under revived Keystone XL project

By LAUREN DONOVAN Bismarck Tribune GASCOYNE, N.D. — About 230 miles worth of heavy steel pipe in a vast laydown yard near Gascoyne in far southwest North Dakota near the South Dakota border hasn’t been moved an inch since it was unloaded in 2011. Now, years later, pipe for the abandoned Keystone XL project may be deployed across hundreds of miles.

The green-coated pipe owned by TransCanada was brought in to carry tar sand oil, and the original route out of Alberta just misses the far corner of southwestern North Dakota as it comes down through Montana into South Dakota to connect to the mainline in Kansas.

The pipe is stacked near the BNSF Railway loop between the ghost town of Gascoyne and the busier grain elevator town of Scranton, gathering dust, snow and tumbleweeds.

It’s about 65 miles south of Dickinson. It looked like it would either rust there indefinitely or be sold off after the Obama administra-

tion denied a permit two years ago.

It’s a desolate place.

Deer paw for food around the edges of the yard, manned by one security guard lonelier than the proverbial Maytag repairman, whose main job is keeping hunters and trespassers off the property.

Now, with the election of President Donald Trump, the project has new life after TransCanada recently submitted a new application at his invitation.

“We welcome TransCanada’s reapplication for a presidential permit to build the Keystone XL Pipeline,” said Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D. “It will create jobs and economic growth, while also making our country safer by helping us to be more energy secure.”

Locals have gotten used to the sight of the massive pipe yard alongside Highway 12 and some even use the word “eyesore” to describe it.

Nearby, Scranton Equity manager John Truetken said he doesn’t expect a lot of business for the fuel and farm services company if

the pipe yard is ever activated for construction. He said news that the pipeline could be restarted wasn’t a surprise.

“I figured it would either happen, or they’d haul it out to somewhere else. I don’t know if it will happen that soon,” said Truetken, adding it could generate a little fuel and convenience store business for the co-op, though it didn’t generate much when the pipe came into the yard six years ago.

“But I don’t think it will really have a lot of effect on us,” he said.

In Bowman — about 20 miles west of the pipe yard and 50 miles to where the pipeline would pass close to Baker — the town’s mayor Lyn James said she isn’t sure how much impact pipeline construction would have on her community.

She said it could provide some employment for oil field and oil company service workers, who’ve been laid off in the Bakken boom downturn.

Bowman County is in a longstanding oil production region and pipelines are a common sideline

of drilling, while major transport lines have come under scrutiny and protest amid concerns about climate change and environmental consequences.

Bowman County Emergency Management, along with surrounding counties in Montana and South Dakota, started a working plan to deal with any protest after watching one against the Dakota Access Pipeline near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, James said.

“Prior to the Dakota Access, we would have never thought it could happen here, but now we don’t know,” James said.

“It’s sad that it happens, but it is reality.”

The Keystone XL was also opposed for two years, though on a much smaller scale, in a Native American spirit protest camp in South Dakota that was the basis for the camps near Standing Rock.

South of Bowman, Buffalo, S.D., rancher Bret Clanton said he’s not looking forward to a day

when the pipeline cuts through 3 miles of his cattle ranch land. It changes the ground forever and affects the property value, he said.

Threatened with eminent domain, he said he and his neighbors joined to get the best deal they could with TransCanada in 2007-2008 for a perpetual easement, though it was for far less than Dakota Access paid to build through private property.

“They should build it, or get the h— out of here,” Clanton said. “It’s dragged on and on and on. I never thought it was dead, but a lot of things have changed.

There’s not $100 barrel oil anymore and their funding has kind of dried up.”

Clanton said he dreads the day construction comes through his land,

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along with more than 2 miles of access road, forever changing his ranch.

“I didn’t put it out of my mind; it was a sleeping giant. If I needed a reminder, I’d just drive up to Gascoyne to see that pile of pipe,” he said.

To the east, in Hettinger, economic development director Jim Goplin, said he thinks the resurrection of the Keystone XL will be good for the country’s energy independence, but perhaps not so much for the local economy. He said local unemployment is already very low and available motel rooms are fairly well blocked out.

“Who knows?” Goplin says. “There could be some jobs. But we don’t have a lot of motel rooms and they’re probably not going to drive this far.”

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Business Briefs Local Commerce at a Glance

Contractor wins awards Dick Anderson Construction was awarded top honors in four of the building categories of the Montana Contractors’ Association’s Building Excellence program, during a recent MCA meeting in Helena.

Medicine Crow Middle School in Billings was recognized as the Best Institutional Project of the preceding year.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Montana Headquarters Building in Helena was chosen as the Best Commercial Project.

The new NorthWestern Energy General Office Building in Butte was awarded Best in Craftsmanship.

The Best Custom Home award was awarded for a private residence in Whitefish.

Additionally, at a recent meeting of the Montana Historical Society in Helena, Dick Anderson Construction was presented with the Governor’s Award for Outstanding Historic Preservation Stewardship, for the McKinley Elementary School restoration project.

Hardware chain honored King’s Ace Hardware was recently designated a Pinnacle Performance Retailing store, by Ace Hardware Corp., for outstanding performance. Developed as part of Ace’s long-term retail growth strategy, 20/20 Vision, the designation is focused on Ace’s customers,

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March 2017

helping to ensure that Ace stores deliver on its brand promise. To achieve the designation, the team at King’s Ace Hardware successfully completed a number of key performance drivers that will help them provide a better overall shopping experience.

One example of a proven performance driver is Helpful Certification, the foundational element of Ace’s Certified Ace Helpful retail training curriculum.

To become certified, Ace Hardware associates complete courses and the store conducts a week-long teambased certification event.

Wealth firm renamed Stockman Asset Management, an independent registered investment adviser and one of the leading providers in Montana of integrated wealth management solution,s has changed its name to Stockman Wealth Management.

The change was enacted to better describe the company’s “client-first” service philosophy, detailed financial planning services and investment management focus. Stockman Wealth Management now offers these services with convenient locations in Billings, Helena, Missoula, and Conrad.

“We began in 2002 as a specialized asset manager, working with a wide range of clients in need of conservative bond and blue-chip stock portfolio management strategies,” said Ron O’Donnell, CEO and presi-

dent of Stockman Wealth Management. “Just like Stockman Bank, our company has always focused on earning trust through exemplary service and building long-term client relationships. As those trusted relationships deepen, clients naturally look to us for assistance in areas of their financial lives beyond asset management (such as estate and retirement planning). To meet these evolving needs we focused our company growth strategies on adding individuals, financial planning services, technology, and new physical locations that support a wider range of wealth management services. We now employ professionals across four locations to help serve clients statewide.”

Wealth management is the process of combining comprehensive financial planning with investment management services to create customized strategies (i.e. a financial road map) for individuals, businesses, institutions, and non-profit organizations. The goal of wealth management is to help clients create and follow this financial road map to preserve and grow their long-term wealth.

Stockman Wealth Management is a wholly owned subsidiary of Stockman Financial Corp. and was founded in 2002. The firm has more than $2.6 billion in total assets and serves hundreds of investor relationships. For more information about Stockman Wealth Management, call 406-6553960 or visit www.stockmanbank.com.

Butte distillery plans expansion BUTTE — The folks at Headframe Spirits say they have a vision for the future, and that vision includes making Butte home to one of the largest distilleries in the U.S. W i f e - a n d -h u s b a n d duo and company owners Courtney and John McKee unveiled part of that vision recently during an open house where community leaders and county officials got a chance to tour the company’s latest addition: a manufacturing facility on the Butte Hill.

The McKees announced plans for the Butte Hill facility in July with a proposal they presented before Butte’s Council of Commissioners. The proposal, ultimately approved, was to rent from the county 30,000 square feet of a 60,000-square-foot warehouse in the Kelley Mine Yard. There, the company owners said, they wanted to move their packaging, storing, and still-manufacturing operations from their then-stronghold at MSE, an industrial complex at 200 Technology Way south of Butte.

After pouring concrete floors and making upgrades to wiring, lighting, and heating and sewer lines, the company moved into the warehouse Labor Day and are now renting the facility for about $4,200 per month.

The move is part of a multi-phase vision to eventually purchase the property and possibly open a tasting room or bring a

third-party restaurant to the site, the McKees said in July. But for now, Courtney McKee told The Montana Standard, those things remain in the idea stage, and the Kelley is not a publicfacing facility.

Should Headframe achieve its long-term goals, the company could become the largest distillery west of the Mississippi.

In previous articles in the Standard, the McKees said the expansion could enable the company to bringing 50 to 100 jobs to the Mining City and produce a barrel of whiskey every seven minutes.

And that’s a vision for the future that the county and the state of Montana are putting their money on.

The company has received financial assistance from Butte’s Urban Revitalization Agency in recent years, the latest a $1,450 grant to help make roof repairs at its building at 21 S. Montana St. Similarly, in late December, commissioners agreed to steer $50,000 from its Hard Rock Mine Reserve Trust Account to help cover renovation expenses at the Kelley warehouse. During the Dec. 21 agenda, Headframe representatives told commissioners they had invested $600,000 of their own money into the project.

And most recently, the governor’s office issued a press release listing Headframe as a recipient of a $60,000 grant from the Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund, which the company will use to expand and hire eight more employees.

And one of those positions has already been filled.

During a tour, attendees were greeted by Headframe’s newest hire, design engineer Kris White, a graduate from Montana State University’s Mechanical Engineering Technology program.

“He’s ours, and we love the hell out of him,” Courtney McKee said, explaining how White will redesign equipment to make it more efficient and less expensive to manufacture.

“He does all the nerdy math stuff,” she said.

White demonstrated a computer model of Headframe’s newest still, the CF-5000, 30-foot-high which will boast five times the production capacity of the company’s current largest still, the CF-1000, while employees worked behind him welding the first model, which is destined for a company in Reno, Nevada. co-owner Headframe John McKee, who led the tour, said Headframe beat out German company CARL to sell the CF-5000 still to the Reno buyer.

“It’s a big feather in our cap,” said John McKee. But White wasn’t the only new hire present during the tour. Guests were also greeted by Chris Byles, Headframe’s new production manager and distiller.

Byles spoke about upcoming Headframe products: the Kelley Single Malt Whiskey, Speculator Rye Whiskey, and a limited-addition whiskey called The Steward, which is aged in barrels formally used for wine.

Business Briefs Success Stories Recognizing People Local and Commerce Achievements at a Glance

Reese joins brokerage firm

a regional bank in Billings.

Vogele earned his bachelor of science degree in business from Montana State University-Bozeman.

He is active in the community serving as a member of the NILE Executive Board and the Billings Chamber of Commerce Ag Committee.

He is also a volunteer with the Special Olympics.

He is located at 402 North Broadway and can be reached at (406) 655-2469.

Mellani Reese has joined Yellowstone Business Acquisitions as a professional business intermediary. She is a member of the International Business Broker’s Association, enrolled with the IBBA University to obtain her certified business intermediary accreditation and recently attended the IBBA conference in Phoenix. Reese participates in Billings Biz to Biz and is also a mem- Winemaker ber of the Tenacious Dames, a nonprofit women’s motor- takes honor cycle riding club. She may Tony Hecimovic, assisbe reached by calling 406- tant winemaker at Yellowstone Cellars 200-3062. & Winery, was recently Stockman names recognized Vogele as VP by the state Randy Vogele has joined for his assistance in Stockman Bank as vice preventi ng p re s i d e n t, alcohol sales a g /c o mHECIMOVIC mercial loan to underage persons. officer for the Stock- Hecimovic refused to sell a man Bank bottle of wine to an underDowntown age customer during a comlocation. His pliance check conducted by responsibil- the Montana Department VOGELE ities include of Revenue Liquor Control d e v e l o p - Division. ing and servicing new and existing commercial and 3 honored agricultural loan relationships, and assisting clients by RBC Dave Kelley, Roni Kuzwith their lending and credit ma and Anne-Marie Wade, needs.

Vogele brings over 17 financial advisers at RBC years of banking experience Wealth Management, were to the position, which in- recently were named to RBC cludes commercial and ag- Wealth Management’s Diriculture lending; customer rector’s Council. relations, and business deThe Director’s Council velopment. He most recent- award annually recognizes ly served in this capacity for employees for outstanding

performance and professional growth, and demonstrating leadership in client service.

Financial advisers assist individual and corporate clients in selecting appropriate investments including stocks, taxable and taxexempt bonds, options and mutual funds. They also assist clients with retirement plans and money management programs.

Kautz joins Floberg firm

Shooting Sports Comm u n i c a to r Award. The honor recognizes extraordinary achieveHlebinsky ments in communications in the areas of responsible firearms use, shooting sports and hunting.

Hlebinsky earned a master’s degree in American history and museum studies from the University of Delaware. As curator, she manages a collection of 7,000 historic firearms and 30,000 firearms-related objects. Additionally, Hlebinsky lectures throughout the U.S. and in Canada, to the firearms industry and academic community on the glamorization and stigmatization of firearms in modern culture and in museums. She is also a freelance writer and has appeared on national and international television networks.

For more information, go to centerofthewest.org.

Robert Kautz has joined Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Floberg Real Estate as a licensed real estate agent, specializing in residential and rural properties.

KAUTZ Kautz was born and raised in Montana, and has returned to the Billings area after retiring from practicing law in Idaho. He has a long history of courtroom litigation experience, as well A&E names as experience in professional sports, teaching and coach- 2 principals Bill DuBeau, AIA, archiing athletics. Kautz may be reached by calling 647- tect, and James Kordonowy, ASID, designer, have each 9198. earned the status of principal at A&E Architects, P.C. Curator earns DuBeau is a 1994 graduindustry award ate from Montana State Ashley Hlebinsky, cura- University. He possesses a tor at Cody Firearms Mu- broad range of skills in projseum, has been awarded the ect management, architecProfessional Outdoor Media tural design and client serAssociation and the Nation- vices. al Shooting Sports FoundaKordonowy has extensive tion’s 2017 Grits Gresham experience in creating com-

mercial interiors and custom residential design. His talents include project management, architectural concepts design and interior décor.

Altana hires Kongaika

ing curriculum for the FMX educational plan, which provides evidence-based education by experts in the field. She will participate in the FMX selection process for faculty presentations, poster presentations and CME sessions.

More than 4,000 family medicine physicians are expected to attend the 2017 FMX conference, Sept. 1216, in San Antonio.

Megan Kongaika has joined Altana Federal Credit Union as associate vice president public relations.

Kongaika has a professional background in marketing and media relations. She Gams earns earned a bachelor’s degree at Rocky Mountain Col- $1M Club honor Michelle “Shelly” Gams, lege and a master’s degree in public relations at Montana CFP at New York Life, has State University-Billings. e a r n e d Her office is at 3212 Cenmembership tral Ave. She may also be in the Million Dollar reached by calling 651-2323.

Round Table for 2017.

RiverStone Achieving exec honored membership Dr. Roxanne Fahrenwald, in MDRT GAMS senior vice president of clinis a distinical and educational integraguishing life tion at RiverStone Health, insurance career milestone, was appointed in January to attained only by those who the Family Medicine Expe- have demonstrated superience Advisory Board of the rior professional knowledge, American Academy of Fam- experience, ethical conduct ily Physicians. and client service. Attaining The Family Medicine Ex- MDRT status places Gams perience is the major annual among the top professionscientific and educational als in the global life insurconference of the AAFP. As ance and financial services a member of the advisory industry. Gams is a 12-year board, Fahrenwald will help MDRT member. Her busiwith planning, oversight and ness emphasizes retirement, evaluating FMX continuing income distribution and medical education (CME) estate planning. She holds the credentials CLU, ChFC, learning opportunities.

Fahrenwald, who is the CASL, RICP and CFP. former program director of Gams may be reached by the Montana Family Medi- calling 294-7527, emailing cine Residency at RiverStone mgams@retire-solutions.

Health, will be responsible com or online at shellygams. for developing and review- com.

March 2017

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STRATEGIESfor success

Pick the right strategy to get the most from your advertising Knowing your target client market is the first step in identifying what type of marketing medium to use.

Joe Michels, Ph.D., P.E., C.P.I. is principal of Solomon Bruce Consulting LLC. Contact him at 406-672-6387 or at solomonbruce.com.

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March 2017

Every day, business owners face the question of when, where and how much to advertise their business.

Why should a business owner spend money on advertising? What media does one use? How do you measure success, and why is advertising important?

The first reason to advertise is to make sure that you are always “front of mind” for your customer.

What does that mean?

Ensure that your customer knows you, knows what your business can provide and why they should come to you to fulfill their needs.

In today’s modern world, competition is rampant.

Customer service is the key in many smaller businesses and many customers are certainly willing to walk if you are unable to fulfill their needs and desires.

The internet has become a prime source of advertising for many businesses.

With a wide variety of social media tools such as Facebook, Snapchat, Pinterest, Instagram and LinkedIn, many millennial customers only know to “Google it” to find out anything that they need.

Shopping online with doorto-door delivery is important for many millennials.

A website which is “mobile friendly,” meaning that it can be easily viewed in a smart phone, laptop or tablet computer, is paramount today. If your website is not mobile friendly, customers will struggle to find your business and most will probably go elsewhere to find the service or product that they are seeking.

Print media is still viable and important. In print media, the message lingers for as long as the newspaper, print piece, journal is available. This can be on the coffee table in the reception area, in a flier placed in every product that you ship, or a “leave behind” piece that you leave when calling upon a prospective client.

The consumer world today is made up primarily of baby boomers, born after 1947, and millennials, consumers, born after 1985.

Baby boomers like a more tactile feel to their advertising and are very comfortable with a newspaper or other print piece. By contrast, millennials have been identified as digital natives and are uncomfortable if the data is not readily available on some type of electronic device.

Who is your primary customer? Is it primarily millennials? Baby boomers or even more importantly, those of the silent generation, born before 1940?

Knowing your target client market is the first step in identifying what type of marketing medium to use.

We recommend that you employ a combination of both internet and print media to reach your target audience. The reason for this recommendation is simple—you don’t exactly know who might be seeking the product or service that you provide. As such, you don’t want to limit yourself to only one type of advertising medium, thinking, perhaps naively, that you are reaching your target

did not work, the ink did not flow or the clip broke off. He often complained to me that when someone came back to ask for another promotional product, he was happy to provide a replacement product, but ashamed that the original piece was so poorly constructed that it broke.

Advertising that is memorable, simple, and relatable is the best kind of advertising. An ad that is memorable will attract more attention, an ad that is simple will resonate with many different clients in many diverse demographic profiles. An ad that connects you and the customer will ensure that you will get more business recognition which should track into more business sales.

We use a local public relations and marketing firm for our advertising requirements. Yes, it costs money. However, our experience has been that Martin Poole the professionals see things differently. They have market and saving money! advertising, portraying experience with a wide Our experience in work- your message each day. variety of different media ing with a wide variety of No matter what type of and know the industry clients in a host of different promotional products you thoroughly. The marketing firm can take one of our industries is that it is best choose to use, buy ones ideas, provide several difto have a strong, compelthat are well constructed ferent approaches on how ling message which is easily and do not break upon the to present the theme or idea portrayed in both digital first use. and print format. The to our client base. Working I have a friend who message is then consistent, worked for a large interna- together, we have found strong and represents your tional corporation. He trav- that the marketing firm can eled to many conventions business in the way you create a dynamic, compelling advertising product and was involved in active desire. which tells our story in a business development. He Promotional products way better than we can.

— pens, tablets, cups, cal- was always embarrassed endars, and magnets — are to give out the pens his Advertising is an investment, not an expense. all tools which reinforce company provided. Why? your advertising message By the time the prospective Begin today to make an investment in your busievery day. Business cards client had reached the end ness. are another example of of the aisle, either the pen

BANKRUPTCIES

RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PERMITS DEMOLITION 1413 18th St. W., Cox, Christopher & Barbara A., Flack N Flack Construction, $1,000

NEW SINGLE FAMILY 4649 N. Hollow Brook Drive, Image Builders, $415,995 2527 Burlwood Drive, Classic Design Homes Inc., $218,575 3016 W. Copper Ridge Loop, Infinity Homes LLC, $185,970 2718 Cornell Circle, Mont Vista Homes LLC, $290,000

REMODEL SINGLE/ DUPLEX/GARAGE 1105 Vineyard Way, Wagenhals Enterprises Inc., $15,000 2302 Eighth Ave. N., 1041 LLC, Ty Nelson Construction, $3,500 4432 Audubon Way, Merrell, Zane and Kristina, $2,000 2504 Clark Ave., Nell, James D. and Diane Bianchi, AHB Construction, $2,000 4306 Pine Cove Road, Jermey & Becka Carlson, Scott Binkley Custom, $35,000 1270 Lonesome Pine Lane, Gledhill, Douglas B. and Barbara, Northwest Building And Design LLC, $11,000 233 Hilltop Road, Hilltop Road LLC, American Exteriors LLC, $5,600 231 Hilltop Road, Hilltop Road LLC, American Exteriors LLC, $5,600 379 Delta Circle, Kilwein Family Trust, Lynnrich Inc., $9,651 4421 Phillip St., Hobbs, Jeffrey H., American Exteriors LLC, $2,687

3841 Chamberlain Drive, Keierleber, Kenneth D. II and Sha, American Exteriors LLC, $12,372 4512 Poly Drive, Roos, Paula K., Freyenhagen Construction Inc., $22,000 2709 Poly Drive, Nielson, Nikki Jo, Big Sky Maintenance Inc., $1,080 2512 Raymond Place, Wiggs Family Trust, Laughlin Construction Inc., $125,000 3069 Western Bluffs Blvd., New West Construction, $300,000 2721 Custer Ave., Ferrell, Spencer and Amelia, $3,165 3769 Banff Ave., BaileyWetsch, Laura L., Brock Barney Construction Inc., $550 2702 Vigilante Trail, Harvey, Howard Russell, K-Designers, $12,983 2989 W. Copper Ridge Loop, Fortner, Lanissa, Delaware Drywall, $19,500 3012 Lloyd Mangrum Lane, Winburn, James M. and Jonna L., Mountain Area Systems, $12,000 1227 St. Johns Ave., Cucciardi, Jason, One Source Construction LLC, $1,350 416 11th St. W., Dvorak, Tina, LJ Roofing, $30,000 3736 Marathon Drive, West, Bryan K., K-Designers, $7,659 3677 Fort Laramie Drive, Richardson, Troy and Sheri A., Big Sky Exterior Designs Inc., $3,000 2132 Yellowstone Ave., Wagner, Teresa K., American Exteriors LLC, $7,253 1401 Howard Ave., Hensel, Craig C., Levi’s Roofing & Siding, $1,000 There were 24 Fence/Roof/ Siding residential permits issued in November and December.

Billings-area filings in U.S. 768, Jan. 19.

Bankruptcy Court, Jan. 1-31, Donna Kay Leatherberry, 3 2016. Addresses are in Billings Golden Butte Drive, Jan. 23. unless otherwise noted.

Melissa Ann Maurisak, Yvonne Alane Benson, 609 S. CHAPTER 7 32nd St., Jan. 24.

Kyle Allan Wolf Anderson, Keith Wayne Schell, 1426 306 Ninth St. W., Jan. 24.

Hondo Way, Jan. 4.

Richard William Brooks, Kenneth H. Taft, 438 Wyo- 4720 Sharon Road, Silesia, Jan. ming Ave., Jan. 5.

30.

Jimmy Eugene Frye, Bonnie Thomas Nelson Orrison Jr., Ann Frye, 1133 Crist Drive, Jan. 2635 N. 15 Road, Worden, Jan. 31.

10.

Eugene David Lamblin, 419 James Roy Dodd, P.O. Box 1/2 S. 28th St., Dec. 31.

CHAPTER 13 Steven Edward Armogost, Deena M. Armogost, 2618 Rockwood, Jan. 12.

Michael Raymond Graf, Cindy Rae Graf, 1152 Kootenai Ave., Jan. 12.

Delbert Kennedy Jr., 210 Westgate Drive, Jan. 14.

Dale Myers, 175 Stonehaven Trail, Jan. 15.

Stephanie M. Overhuls, 802 Constitution Ave., Jan. 22.

Karl Lee Boltz, 3391 Windmill Circle, Jan. 23.

MONTANA PATENTS Below are listed U.S. patents issued to Montana inventors Dec. 27, 2016-Jan. 24, 2017. For assistance in patent filing, call Billings patent attorney Antoinette M. Tease at 406-294-9000.

• David Harriton of Missoula and Mark Stouffer of Oakland Township, Mich.: Ornamental design for a hood. D775021, Dec. 27, StreetCar ORVLLC, Commerce Township, Mich.

• Stephen L. Galbraith and Lawrence C. Farrar, both of Butte: Flameless thermal spray system using flame heat source. 9,533,318, Jan. 3, Resodyn Corp., Butte.

• Thomas Lerick of Savage, Minn.; Ronak Desai of Daytona, Fla.; Michael Kramer of Princeton, Minn.; and Joseph Schmitt of Whitefish: Managing building information and resolving building issues. 9,536,231, Jan. 3, WWTemplar LLC, Wilmington, Del. • Juan Jose Diaz Garcia of Hamilton and Margit Holzer of Dommartemont, France: Purification process. 9,540,416, Jan. 10, Glaxosmithkline Biologicals S.A.

(BE).

• Michael S. Zhdanov of Holladay, Utah, and Leif H. Cox of Butte: Method of subsurface imaging using superposition of sensor sensitivities from geophysical data acquisition systems.

9,542,359, Jan. 10, TechnoImaging LLC, Salt Lake City.

• Robert Kent Knox of Whitefish: Ornamental design for a dual textured coffee mug. D775,897, Jan. 10.

• Michael Steven DeMers of Great Falls: Foot snare triggering device. 9,545,096, Jan. 17, Universal Select-A-Catch, Valier.

• Timothy S. Sudeith of Edina, Minn.; Tracy L. Whitney of Chaska, Minn.; John D. Kidd of Newport, Minn.; Benjamin C. Tiffin of Missoula: Climbing walls. 9,545,555, Jan. 17, Everlast Climbing Industries Inc., Mendota Heights, Minn.

• John William McGinnis of Kalispell: Aircraft stability and efficient control through induced drag reduction. 9,545,993, Jan. 17.

• Ernest R. Blatchley III

and Bruce Applegate, both of West Lafayette, Ind.; Eric Gentil Mbonimpa of Las Vegas; and Bryan Vadheim of Miles City: Continuous-flow solar ultraviolet disinfection system for drinking water. 9,546,100, Jan. 17, Purdue Research Foundation, West Lafayette.

• Thomas E. Hughes, Paul H. Tewson and Anne Quinn, all of Bozeman: Genetically encoded fluorescent sensors for detecting intracellular signaling through diacylglycerol pathways.

9,547,017, Jan. 17, Montana Molecular LLC, Bozeman.

• Merlyn Gordon of Livingston: Identifying individual intentions and determining responses to individual intentions. 9,547,832, Jan. 17, Oracle International Corp., Redwood Shores, Calif.

• Michael J. Thiesen, Dominic J. Frost, Grant Nelson and Benjamin Echols, all of Bozeman, and Stephen Bush of Missoula: System and method for convergent document collaboration. 9,552,343, Jan. 24, Workiva Inc., Ames, Iowa.

March 2017

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March 2017

end of Yellowstone Kelly

Having initially come to the Northern Plains for hunting, trapping and overall exploration, Yellowstone Kelly soon pursued military service during the end of the Indian Wars in response to his growing knowledge of indigenous people and the Eastern Montana landscape. Join Bill Cole as he uncovers what makes Yellowstone Kelly a legend on the western frontier.

Date & Time: Sept. 15, Noon Location: Western Heritage Center Tickets: See ywhc.org for more information.

Know what’s below.

Call before you dig. ig.

exhibition is the only exhibition in Montana where you can learn the region’s artistic story from its beginnings to the present day.

Date & Time: Ongoing exhibit Location: Yellowstone Art Museum Tickets: Call YAM at (406) 256-6804 or see artmuseum.org

Primal Urges

It’s the Law!

Throughout recorded time, artists have used visual forms to comment on or express the relationship 1-800-638-3278 between humankind and the spaces we have occuMontana-Dakota.com pied in our collective history and psychology. In this exclusive exhibition derived from special loans and the In the Community to Serve® museum’s permanent collection, consider the evolution of visual abstraction—in this case, spanning the YELLOWSTONE ART MUSEUM stretch of time from the late-19th century to today, EVENTS & CLASSES from France to New York to Montana.

Bridal Fair Date & Time: Exhibit on display through Sept. 4 Attention brides-to-be: Say ‘I do’ to attending Bridal FENCE/ROOF/SIDING Location: Yellowstone Art Museum Inc., $ 2,971,000 802 Fourth Ave. N., Eaglegear LLC, Gallery Jewelers, Jones Construction CASEY PAGE/Gazette Staff Fair 2016, where local and regional exhibitors gather Inc., $850 Langlas &or Associates Inc., $590,000 Tickets: Call YAM at (406) 256-6804 see 3930 Victory Circle, IRET OlymNEW PARKING LOT/ 303 N. 28th St., First Building Corp., 300 S. 24th St. W., Rimrock Owner LP, together for one day of wedding-related wonder. Meet artmuseum.org Location: Yellowstone Art Museum pic (Mt), Dutton Construction, Capital Development Inc., $500 $15,000 withVillage the area’s leading experts in everything from pho-NON-BUILDING Tickets: Call YAM (406) 256-6804 or see $53,500 112atN. 28th St., 400 Marion Inc., 1233 N. 30th St., Sisters Of Charity Of tography and planning to venues and veils to make STRUCTURE Echo: Unspoken Dialects artmuseum.org 3932 Victory Circle, IRET - OlymLeavenworth, Langlas & Associates Inc., $189,000 your special day spectacular.

While you’re there, be symbolism and intent written words have a 802 FourthThe Ave. N., Eaglegear LLC, of$1,000,000 pic Village (Mt), Dutton Construction, 1204 W. Wicks Lane, State Of Monsure to enter for a chance to win a free wedding and/or history as long as human memory. Artists have always tana, Broken Arrow Communications Langlas & Associates Inc., $100,000 $53,500 960 S. 29th St. W., CMTM Properties Jill Brody: Hidden in Plain Sight reception venue rental. reveled in the visual beauty of symbols, which indi- Inc.,Uncover Inc., $10,000 1005 Main St., Watson, Gerald W., ReLLC, Jones Construction $35,000the history of our Hutterite friends through Date & Time: Sept. 18, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

REMODEL ule Builders, $16,000 316 N. 26th St., Revx-694 LLC, EEC 2909 Millennium Circle,the PST cate everything from the smallest sound to the largest lensLLC, of photographer Jill Brody in this intimate Location: Yellowstone Museum Clayton L. and 823 N. 27th St., Pike,Art Inc., $299,280 Picard Development, $36,111 display of photographs. idea. Echo: Unspoken Dialects reveals the intersections Showcasing daily life and how Tickets: Admission is free. Email events@artmuseum.

108 Moore Lane, Bearemotion Mountain PropCarol J., Sprague Construction, $19,000 1221 28th St. W., Springs Vi At Billings 26 Orchard Lane, JMS Properties LLC, between and reason, ideas and concrete form. they have deviated from contemporary society, this erties LLC, CSI Shelving, $1,965 Brookshire or Blvd., Brookshire Vil- form on LLC, $500,000 $3,000 org210 to pre-register fill out a registration Language as the trail of memory is the focus of this exhibit LLC, exposes the way of lifeLong, in an Judd effortand lage LLC, Cornerstone Exteriors Inc., 2595 Overland Ave., Stiller, A.,four leading 221Hutterite Cape Cod Drive, 209 S. 30th St., NL Investments artmuseum.org. exhibition.

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– Dec. 30 ture, Langlas & Associates $322,787 Leavenworth, Bauer Construction Lab, Bldgon Contractor Inc.,1$16,417 or even the suggestion of language in their richWC andCommercial Boundless Visions: Selections from the 26th St., LLC,Yellowstone 316 N. $25,000 1046 N. St., Empire Resources Location: Art27th Museum works.

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